Israel fears that a jihadist offensive that has swept up swathes of Iraq may prompt concessions to arch-foe Iran from its longtime ally the United States.
''If Washington needs Teheran's help to solve the Iraq crisis, the United States will need to be more flexible in negotiations on Iran's nuclear program,'' public radio cited a senior official as saying.
Tourism Minister Uzi Landau warned: ''We're in a situation where, to confront the threat from the global jihad, we rely on Iran and its allies.''
The rise of the jihadist Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), which has seized Iraq's second city Mosul and a swathe of its north and center over the past 10 days, has prompted talk of possible cooperation between Washington and Tehran to help stop the insurgency.
A top Iranian official said on Wednesday that Tehran could consider working with the United States over the crisis in Iraq if talks on its nuclear program are successful.
The Iranian official's comments came after US Secretary of State John Kerry said Monday he would be open to cooperating with Iran on Iraq.
Israel -- which has the Middle East's sole if undeclared nuclear arsenal -- is deeply opposed to the talks, which also involve its US ally and aim for a long-term deal to set out clear limits to Iran's nuclear ambitions.--AFP